One final time
by Funkmaster21
Summary: Drizzt has hung up his scimitars for the last time and his years of fighting are behind him now, but when an old enemy he thought killed returns does he have the heart to fight once more?


Artimus Entreri laughed openly as his blade made a satisfying tear through drizzt's arm.

Drizzt grimaced from the pain but did not make a noise.

"You see, Drow? Your pitiful life will soon be at an end" Entreri mocked. His hair was greyed now, and wrinkles were now obvious on his once youthful face, but he was still the same assassin that Drizzt loathed even twenty years later.

Drizzt couldn't believe it. How could he have found him? Drizzt had lived in Icewind Dale quite peacefully, away from adventure, away from it all. Just what he wanted. How could the assassin have found him after so many years?

"It's been a long time…" Entreri continued, circling his wounded for, his longsword and signature jeweled dagger were out, Drizzt noticed how well they still gleamed from the snow.

"A long time…" He echoed to himself, nearly lost in his own thoughts of their continued battles all those years ago. Quickly remembering himself he continued, "You should have never have stopped. Look at you! Unpracticed! …weak" He added quietly, almost as an afterthought.

Drizzt considered the words, he had indeed been out of practice, he couldn't even remember the last time he picked up his scimitars. He had other things to worry about, he supposed.

Entreri cruelly laughed again. "So, where are your swords? I assume you still have them. I had no desire to kill you in cold blood before, I do not now"

Drizzt eyed Entreri again, he was much older now. Slower too, from what he had seen so far, he guessed his age to be around 60 seasons, Drizzt on the otherhand was for the most part unchanged. Since Drow live to be many centuries old, Drizzt was still a young man by human standards. The thought amused Drizzt.

"You laugh? You are testing my patience, Drizzt" Entreri glowered. "I ask again; Where are your scimatars?"

Drizzt stopped, puzzled himself as to where he even kept Twinkle and Icingblade. Since his adventures long past, he decided to settle down, he had had enough of adventure, battles… of death. His thoughts went to his love Catti-brie, and he swallowed down his grief, now wasn't the time.

"My blades are kept inside my cabin" Drizzt said suddenly as he remembered. With a mocking smile he added. "Would you like to come inside, while I retrieve them?"

Entreri stared his cold stare trying to intimidate him. Drizzt shrugged. Not all things change, Drizzt noted to himself as he dashed inside his cabin. He emerging several moments later with his scimitars in hand.

Entreri smiled again. "Do you truly think you can beat me?" Drizzt dared to ask the aged assassin "I may be unpracticed, but your human years are coming to its end. Surely you do not have the speed and agility you once had?"

Entreri grinned and charged his sword at Drizzt, but were batted away by a swift wave of twinkle. Drizzt was secretly relieved that he still at least subconsciously held his swordsman skills.

After a series of exchanges, the fight broke away, Entreri breathing noticeably heavy. Drizzt ignored it and stood his ground.

A few moments later Entreri came back, coming low. Drizzt parried the move and came in with his own attack, hitting with both swords, smacking Entreri at either side of his waist with the flats of his blade.

Angrier now, Entreri weaved between Drizzts thin blades, dancing left and right, feining and reposting, like he used to. Unlike him though, his breath came heavier and harder, to the point he was nearly gasping.

As the exchange neared its end, Drizzt spun a full circle, whipping his blades around him, slicing a nasty cut into Entreri's now ragged face, he recoiled and stepped away, wiping his left cheek and drawing blood back.

It was in that moment when Drizzt looked into his eyes that he saw something more than the cold, unforgiving assassin he once knew. Was it despair? Hopelessness? Stunned a little, by the assassin's gaze Drizzt stepped back as well and lowered his blades.

Entreri was angered again "What is this? Do not back away now, Drow. Not in my moment of glory!" He cried. But even as he said it Drizzt noticed a small tear developing in a wrinkled eye.

"No more, Artimus" Drizzt said quietly, "Our long, tireless battle is over. The past thirty years of your life you have chased me… tortured me, fought me and for what?" Even as he said the words, Entreri's grin dropped, as did his blades, slowly.

"Was it for glory? Artimus Entreri; The most powerful swordmaster in the realms!" Drizzt proclaimed to the world, he threw his hands up in mock praise to the old man. "Look at you! Still fighting those who oppose you, time has not been good to you."

Entreri raised his hand to his weathered face, as if suddenly realizing his age.

"There's no glory here, Assassin. Only pity. Only my own pity." Drizzt stared at the man for a moment, then threw down his scimitars and turned his back, confident that he had struck a blow deeper than any sword.

As he approached the door to his cabin, he spoke his last words to the man, "Even the greatest of weapon masters hang up their sword for the last time…" he turned around as he spoke and looked to his own scimitars lying on the ground as if to illustrate the point. Entreri shifted to follow his gaze, then looked back to Drizzt

Their eyes locked silently for a time, the birds around them seemed to hush as the two old adversaries, those who had both lived through countless adventures, sometimes side by side shared one final moment.

"Goodbye, Entreri" Drizzt finally said at length and closed the door behind him, leaving Entreri to his thoughts.

Entreri stared at the Drow's famous scimitars again, then back at the door.

He drew a deep long breath, nodded and sheathed his swords. Turning away from the shack he walked away and toward the Tundra


End file.
